30 October 2007

Deli in the Alley

Hidden beneath the urban landscape of downtown Columbus, amongst the tall buildings and multiple endless construction projects, is an aptly named establishment Deli in the Alley. The place is now under new ownership, and the new staff still offers a tremendous number of vegetarian sandwiches along with chips, side salads and coffee, tea, pop juice and smoothies.

Deli in the Alley is tucked away in the alley on Lynn Street. The place is worth searching out, especially since they offer a great variety of options for veggies and carnivores alike.

I tried the three cheese panini, a grilled cheese sandwich made from cheddar, swiss and mozzarella cheeses, roasted red peppers and tomatoes on sourdough bread. Think of it as a grown-up version of a childhood favorite.

There are many other vegetarian sammies. The garden wrap is hummus and a cornucopia of vegetables held together by a tortilla. The Greek wrap is similar, with no hummus and plenty of feta and creamy dressing. The veggie panini has red peppers, alfalfa, spinach and portobella mushrooms with vegetarian deli spread griddled on ciabatta bread.The sides are also delicious. The pasta salads look great, the vegetable salads are nice, and the potato chips are better than the Frito Lays products available at Subway. My other favorite characteristics of Deli in the Alley include the McCormick salt and pepper grinders on the tables and the eco-conscious glassware derived from corn. How cool is that?

Check out the pictures below, and make sure to travel through the back alleys to find one of Columbus' most fun lunch spots.